"If you want to bake an apple pie from scratch, first you must invent the universe." – Carl Sagan

A health kick, of sorts

Sometimes I like to go on a health kick. I mean, who doesn’t from time to time? With all of the news about how terrible we eat, how fat we are becoming, and that wacky British dude and the First Lady launching nationwide efforts to get our citizenry eat a darn vegetable – sometimes it’s enough to guilt inspire a person to at least try to eat better. (My health kicks, of course, are much to the dismay of my boyfriend, who likes to hide when I start ranting about eating too much meat and not enough vegetables, again.)

That being said, a person cannot live off of salads alone. You can try, but if you’re anything like me, 3 p.m. rolls around and you’re craving something sweet and carb-y to carry you on through dinner time. The last few weeks at work have been great for curbing afternoon snacking, as we have been enjoying the constant drudgery of carting load after load of laboratory and office junk to our new office space via underground tunnel. Now that the busywork of moving has subsided, I find myself back to ye olde “Ugh it’s only 3 and I’m already hungry?!” and I do believe that calls for some muffins.

Do not want.

Have you tried Vitamuffins? In theory, their nutritional specs are pretty good, boasting tons of fiber and protein in a low-calorie muffin-like substance, which makes them all the rage in the health and diet community. I can’t say I’m a fan, although I’ve only tried the blueberry flavor. In addition to being fairly non-delicious and full of unpronounceable ingredients, a box of 4 is upwards of $5 at my grocery store! The usual fare at nearby campus coffee shops is not much better – not only are the baked goods on the opposite end of the healthy spectrum, they are also expensive and the varieties never change from week to week.

So, I have found myself pining for this imaginary muffin. Something a little hearty, with spices that match the season, and maybe some nuts or some chocolate to round things out. Something that is not terrible for you, but also doesn’t make you feel deprived when you’re just inches away from raiding the candy machine down the hall. And I think I have found it, thanks to the great folks at King Arthur Flour. These whole wheat pumpkin muffins are the perfect answer to my grandma’s delicious (and sugary-oily-cream-cheesy) pumpkin bars – an autumnal baked good that reminds you pumpkin can actually be good for you, and delicious enough that you will actually want to eat it.

A word on flour: I used whole wheat pastry flour, and I thought the texture of the muffins was excellent. The muffins came out hearty and fluffy, and not too dry or dense like I have experienced when baking with regular whole wheat flour. Try to find it at Whole Foods, or a natural foods co-op in the bulk aisle, or look for Bob’s Red Mill at your supermarket. (Wheatsfield in Ames is where I get mine.) However, any combo of whole wheat, AP, or even King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat will get the job done.

What to do with the leftover 2/3 cup of pumpkin, you ask? Try a pumpkin smoothie (1/2 banana, handful of ice, milk, plain yogurt, pumpkin and a teaspoon or so of that pumpkin pie spice) or pumpkin overnight oats.